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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This...

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This development, confirmed by high-ranking party insiders, follows the realization that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) effectively ceded its claims on the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to protect the alliance, facilitating a “Mumbai for BJP, Kalyan for Shinde” power-sharing formula. The compromise marks a complete role reversal between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Both the political parties were in alliance with each other for over 25 years before 2017 civic polls. Back then the BJP used to get the post of Deputy Mayor while the Shiv Sena always enjoyed the mayor’s position. In 2017 a surging BJP (82 seats) had paused its aggression to support the undivided Shiv Sena (84 seats), preferring to be out of power in the Corporation to keep the saffron alliance intact. Today, the numbers dictate a different reality. In the recently concluded elections BJP emerged as the single largest party in Mumbai with 89 seats, while the Shinde faction secured 29. Although the Shinde faction acted as the “kingmaker”—pushing the alliance past the majority mark of 114—the sheer numerical gap made their claim to the mayor’s post untenable in the long run. KDMC Factor The catalyst for this truce lies 40 kilometers north of Mumbai in Kalyan-Dombivali, a region considered the impregnable fortress of Eknath Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde. While the BJP performed exceptionally well in KDMC, winning 50 seats compared to the Shinde faction’s 53, the lotter for the reservation of mayor’s post in KDMC turned the tables decisively in favor of Shiv Sena there. In the lottery, the KDMC mayor’ post went to be reserved for the Scheduled Tribe candidate. The BJP doesn’t have any such candidate among elected corporatros in KDMC. This cleared the way for Shiv Sena. Also, the Shiv Sena tied hands with the MNS in the corporation effectively weakening the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s alliance with them. Party insiders suggest that once it became clear the BJP would not pursue the KDMC Mayor’s chair—effectively acknowledging it as Shinde’s fiefdom—he agreed to scale down his demands in the capital. “We have practically no hope of installing a BJP Mayor in Kalyan-Dombivali without shattering the alliance locally,” a Mumbai BJP secretary admitted and added, “Letting the KDMC become Shinde’s home turf is the price for securing the Mumbai Mayor’s bungalow for a BJP corporator for the first time in history.” The formal elections for the Mayoral posts are scheduled for later this month. While the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—led by the Shiv Sena (UBT)—has vowed to field candidates, the arithmetic heavily favors the ruling alliance. For Eknath Shinde, accepting the Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai is a tactical retreat. It allows him to consolidate his power in the MMR belt (Thane and Kalyan) while remaining a partner in Mumbai’s governance. For the BJP, this is a crowning moment; after playing second fiddle in the BMC for decades, they are poised to finally install their own “First Citizen” of Mumbai.

Urban Inferno

Mumbai is getting hotter, but not uniformly. The city’s once predictable tropical climate is fragmenting into microclimate zones, with some areas baking under relentless heat while others remain relatively cool. A recent study revealed that temperature variations across Mumbai could reach a staggering 13 degrees Celsius, a clear sign that the city is experiencing an intensifying Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The findings have serious implications for urban planning, public health and economic productivity in India’s financial capital. The numbers paint a stark picture.


Between March 1 and March 22, Vasai West recorded an average temperature of 33.5°C, while Powai, a greener and less densely developed locality, registered just 20.4°C. The study underscores how concrete-laden, densely packed urban sprawls trap heat, making some pockets unliveable while others enjoy relative respite.


The phenomenon is not unique to Mumbai. Cities worldwide, from New York to New Delhi, are grappling with the consequences of UHI. However, Mumbai’s case is particularly severe due to unregulated urban expansion, diminishing green cover and inadequate mitigation strategies. The contrast is further amplified by the city’s geography which is bounded by sea, yet increasingly insulated from its cooling effects due to infrastructure that disrupts natural wind patterns.


The implications of these variations are profound. First, heat stress is not just an environmental inconvenience but a public health emergency. Poorer neighbourhoods, often lacking access to air conditioning and adequate ventilation, bear the brunt of the heat crisis.


Rising temperatures strain Mumbai’s already fragile infrastructure. The energy demand for cooling surges, leading to increased pressure on the city’s electricity grid. Water scarcity follows, as higher temperatures accelerate evaporation rates and drive consumption. The study raises troubling questions about the city’s long-term habitability. With climate change amplifying heat extremes, the gap between Mumbai’s liveable and unliveable zones will only widen. This could lead to economic fragmentation, where businesses and residents migrate to more temperate areas, exacerbating inequality.


The solution lies in proactive urban planning. Increasing tree cover, particularly in densely packed suburbs, is an immediate necessity. Vertical gardens, shaded walkways and rooftop greening initiatives could provide natural cooling in overheated districts. Cities like Singapore have successfully integrated such measures, proving that the urban heat crisis is solvable.


Additionally, Mumbai must rethink its approach to construction. The city’s obsession with high-rise concrete jungles must give way to climate-conscious architecture. Mandating heat-resistant materials, improving cross-ventilation in buildings and ensuring adequate water bodies within city limits could mitigate the crisis. The sustained heat stress before the official onset of summer is a harbinger of worse to come. Mumbai must act swiftly, lest it risks turning into an uninhabitable furnace.

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